Jason Statham will return as ass-kicking, name-taking super-assassin Adam Clay in The Beekeeper 2. In the first trailer for next year’s sequel to 2024’s surprise-hit revenge thriller The Beekeeper, Jeremy Irons’ character explains that the Beekeepers have gone rogue and Clay “is the only one who can stop them.” Of course!

The first trailer for The Beekeeper 2 promises more of what Statham fans love: beatdowns, wisecracks, and plenty of bee references. Plus, the captivating Pom Klementieff (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning) makes her Beekeeper series debut.

Irons’ character tells Clay that the Beekeepers “want complete control of the government, and they’re prepared to kill anyone who gets in their way.” Naturally, Clay opts to dispense Beekeeper-on-Beekeeper justice, and this time he’s got a sweet, thematically appropriate ride: a 1969 Dodge Super Bee “fully loaded with stinger,” Irons says, meaning a passenger-side minigun.

The trailer peaks when Statham jams a flamethrower in a henchman’s mouth and delivers the ice-cold barb, “Next time, don’t be so hotheaded.” And it’s all set to Metallica’s “For Whom the Bell Tolls.” Hell yes.

Who’s making The Beekeeper 2?

The Beekeeper was written by Kurt Wimmer and directed by action movie legend David Ayer, who had previously worked with Jason Statham in The Working Man. Wimmer is still expected to be credited, as he worked on The Beekeeper 2 for some time before the screenplay was handed to Umair Aleem (Kate). Timo Tjahjanto (The Night Comes for Us, The Shadow Strays) has taken over as director — but Ayer still keeps an eye out for updates.

After a first look at The Beekeeper 2 at CinemaCon earlier this year, expectations were sky-high. Timo Tjahjanto is a gore-oriented director, so fans were already expecting The Beekeeper 2 to take the intensity level up a notch — which is saying something, as its predecessor had a healthy number of shocking scenes.

The trailer did not disappoint, and will surely leave Statham fans wanting more. The Beekeeper 2 is set to premiere in movie theaters on Jan. 15, 2027.